The traceroute command
Name:
Date:
Class:
A
Quick Questions
Shade in the A or B circle for each question.
1. Which command lists each router hop between a Windows computer and example.com?
2. Which command do you use on a Mac or Linux computer to trace the route to a site?
3. What does each numbered line in the tracert output represent?
4. What are the millisecond (ms) times on each hop line showing?
5. A hop line shows * * * and Request timed out. What does the star mean?
B
Match the Pairs
Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.
| Left column | Right column | |
|---|---|---|
| 1tracert example.com | A3 * * * Request timed out. | |
| 2traceroute example.com | BThe time in ms is how long a hop took to reach, not the number of hops. Hops are counted by the numbered lines in the list. | |
| 3You want to see every router your data passes through on the way to a website | Ctracert example.com | |
| 4A hop line shows * * * Request timed out, meaning that router sent no reply | DThe Mac and Linux version of tracert, which shows the router hops to a site | |
| 5tracert | ENo destination was given. tracert needs a domain or IP address to trace, such as tracert example.com. | |
| 6tracert example.com -> 5 ms = 5 hops | FLists each router hop between your device and example.com, with the time taken to reach each one |
C
Definitions
tracert example.com
D
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.
1.
_______ example.com
2.
__________ example.com
3.
2 14 __ 13 ms 15 ms 192.168.1.1
4.
4 _ * * Request timed out.
5.
Tracing route to example.com
over a maximum of 30 ____:
E
Spot the Error
Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.
Question 1
A
C:\> tracert example.com
B
1 2 ms 192.168.1.1
C
2 12 ms 10.20.0.1
D
2 * * * Timed out.
Question 2
A
$ traceroute example.com
B
1 192.168.1.1 1.2 MB
C
2 10.20.0.1 8.5 ms
D
3 93.184.216.34 25 ms
Question 3
A
C:\> tracert example.com
B
Tracing route to example.com
C
over a minimum of 30 hops:
D
1 1 ms 192.168.1.1
Question 4
A
$ tracert example.com
B
1 192.168.1.1 1.2 ms
C
2 10.20.0.1 8.5 ms
Question 5
A
C:\> tracert example.com
B
1 1 ms 192.168.1.1
C
2 * * * Reply received.
D
3 20 ms 93.184.216.34
Answer Key
The traceroute command
Section A: Quick Questions
Q1
A — tracert example.com
Q2
B — traceroute example.com
Q3
A — One router hop on the path to the destination
Q4
A — How long it took to reach that router
Q5
B — That router sent no reply to the test
Section B: Match the Pairs
Q1
tracert example.com → Lists each router hop between your device and example.com, with the time taken to reach each one
Q2
traceroute example.com → The Mac and Linux version of tracert, which shows the router hops to a site
Q3
You want to see every router your data passes through on the way to a website → tracert example.com
Q4
A hop line shows * * * Request timed out, meaning that router sent no reply → 3 * * * Request timed out.
Q5
tracert → No destination was given. tracert needs a domain or IP address to trace, such as tracert example.com.
Q6
tracert example.com -> 5 ms = 5 hops → The time in ms is how long a hop took to reach, not the number of hops. Hops are counted by the numbered lines in the list.
Section C: Definitions
Q1
tracert example.com — Windows command (traceroute on Mac and Linux) that lists each router hop between your device and a site, with the time taken to reach each one. Stars (*) mean no reply.Section D: Fill in the Blanks
Q1
tracert example.comQ2
traceroute example.comQ3
2 14 ms 13 ms 15 ms 192.168.1.1Q4
4 * * * Request timed out.Q5
Tracing route to example.com
over a maximum of 30 hops:Section E: Spot the Error
Q1
D — Hop numbers count up by one for each router, so the line after hop 2 must be hop 3. Repeating 2 breaks the hop list. The stars still correctly mean no reply.
Q2
B — Traceroute shows the time taken to reach each hop, measured in milliseconds (ms). MB measures data size, not time. It should be 1.2 ms.
Q3
C — Tracert stops after a maximum number of hops (30 by default) so it cannot run forever. It should say 'maximum', not 'minimum'.
Q4
A — The $ prompt shows a Mac or Linux terminal, where the command is traceroute. Tracert is the Windows name. It should be traceroute example.com.
Q5
C — Stars mean the router sent no reply before the timeout. The message should say the request timed out, not that a reply was received.